Utilization of fluoranthene by Pseudomonas paucimobilis strain EPA505

Pseudomonas paucimobilis strain EPA505 was previously purified from a 7-membered bacterial community originally isolated from a creosote-contaminaated siol for its ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) components of creosote. The unique ability of this organism to utilize fluoranthene as sole source of carbon and energy for growth in pure culture was demonstrated by increase in bacterial biomass, changes in UV-absorption, decrease in aqueous fluoranthene concentration, and the production of metabolites when fluoranthene was supplied as sole carbon source in liquid culture. Compounds accumulating in fluoranthene culture medium during growth of EPA505 have been distinguished by HPLC and UV-absorption properties. Based on precedents established for bacterial degradation of similar compounds, speculative pathways aare proposed to illustrate the novel biochemistry employed by strain EPA505 in the utilization of fluoranthene. Whereas utilization of fluoranthene appears to involve previously undefined variations on established oxygenation and ring cleavage processes, these findings suggest the potential of this and other organisms for accelerating the biotransformation of other environmental pollutants currently considered recalcitrant to microbiological attack. Hence, strain EPA505 and other organisms similarly isolated for their ability to degrade fluoranthene and related compounds may prove useful to remediation efforts employing biological processes